 |
Fujifilm Japan has announced that it is to stop production of its FP-100C instant film that enthusiasts use in old Polaroid-type cameras. The film has only been available in the 3.25×4.25in size recently, since the 5x4in version was discontinued, but it has been keeping vintage cameras clicking since Polaroid stopped production itself.
The company says that it will halt production in spring this year, but that stocks will continue to be available for some time after that. Falling demand and sales are cited as the reasons for the ending of the product line, which also spells the end of the working life of Type 100 cameras. The company used to produce a black and white version too, but that was stopped in 2014.
The Fujifilm FP-100 films are particularly popular with enthusiasts and professionals because they produce very good quality images, but also because a negative can be recovered, cleared and used for making prints. The film comes in a peel-apart format, and the section most people discard contains a negative that is difficult to see because it has a black coating on the outside – to prevent light getting into the pack. This can be removed with domestic bleach, and when thoroughly washed and dried a very serviceable negative can be had.
There is a Japanese notice on the Fujifilm Global website, and the film’s data sheet is available in PDF format.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)